J. W. GUESS was born in Caldwell County, Ky., July 11, 1845, and is a son of John W. and Nancy (Warren) Guess. His parents were born in Orange County, N. C., the father in 1800, the mother in 1813. In 1832 they came to Kentucky, and settled in Caldwell County, near Fredonia, where they resided until 1852, when they moved to what is now Lyon County. There the father died, December 20, 1853. He was a member and also a deacon of the Baptist Church. The mother is still living in this county. Subject is the youngest of a family of six children, of whom three are now living: Mary Ann, wife of S. F. Crider; D. M., in Lyon County, and J. W. He received his schooling in the last named county, and began life for himself when sixteen years of age, working out for some years. In 1868 he came to his present farm, where he now owns about 200 acres of land, with about 160 acres in cultivation. In 1881 he embarked in the milling business, at Hurricane, and continued it until July, 1884. He was married January 23, 1868, to Miss Sarah W. Love, daughter of William and Rebecca (Knight) Love, early settlers of this county. She was born in 1843, and died July 2, 1869. They had one child--Thomas T. Mr. Guess' second marriage was April 13, 1870, to Miss Rebecca Terry, daughter of B. B. Terry. This lady died August 27, 1870. His third marriage was April 28, 1872, to Miss Sallie A. Shanks, daughter of Mentor Shanks. Mrs. Guess was born in this county, in 1845, and is the mother of three children: Eugene, Belle and Lurnet. Mr. Guess is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company E, Forty-eighth Kentucky Infantry, United States army, July 3, 1863. He remained with that regiment one year, and was then transferred to the Seventeenth Kentucky Cavalry, with which he remained until close of war.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 729-730.